97-Minute R-Rated Reboot of ’70s Cult Classic Gets New Release
A reboot of the 1978 cult horror film "Faces of Death" has received a new home video release, according to Collider. Directed by Daniel Goldhaber and starring Barbie Ferreira and Dacre Montgomery, the 97-minute R-rated remake reimagines the original's shocking mock-documentary concept, which once spread notoriety through illicit VHS copies and bans in numerous countries, with a more structured narrative aimed at modern horror audiences.
The original 1978 film presented itself as genuine documentary footage of gruesome deaths, though most segments were later revealed to be staged; its graphic content led to bans in many countries and the tagline "Banned in 46 Countries." The new version, released earlier in 2026, has been better received by critics than its predecessor, holding a 69% score on Rotten Tomatoes compared with the original's 21%.
- Reboot of 1978 shocker "Faces of Death" gets new home video release
- Daniel Goldhaber's R-rated remake stars Barbie Ferreira and Dacre Montgomery
- New version scores 69% on Rotten Tomatoes versus original's 21%
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"Faces of Death" was a 1978 film that pretended to be real documentary footage of people dying, though most of it was later shown to be staged. Its graphic content got it banned in dozens of countries and turned it into a notorious cult title, traded on illicit VHS copies for years.
Nearly fifty years on, the film has been remade for modern audiences. Directed by Daniel Goldhaber and starring Barbie Ferreira and Dacre Montgomery, the new version keeps an R rating but swaps the original's shock-documentary format for a more conventional narrative structure.
The remake has now had a fresh home video release, and critics have generally responded more favourably to it than they did to the divisive original.